by Reders, E. M
After the Crone had escorted my father over to a small group of men and women just on the far side of the field, she returned to the centre of the circle and gazed upon us. "You have been brought here for a reason. Tonight one of you may very well become the protector of a witch. For those of you that have been to one of these rituals before I should tell you that there have been a few changes made to the ritual. The witch who is performing the ritual tonight will not be seen, her identity hidden from all, only the one chosen will get to see her, and not until the glade is clear. There are reasons for this that I will not discuss now, but will, of course, explain to the chosen protector and his pack, coven or family leader. Now I ask that you remain quiet during the ritual and stay in your positions."
"How will we know if we have been chosen?” someone asked from the Eastern Pack. The Eastern Pack were technically our neighbours but their home was over three hundred miles away. What were they doing here?
Every year or two a local witch would come of age and the unmated males of my pack would be invited to attend the ritual, but never had another pack been invited, or any of the other supernatural community. Something was not right with this.
"If you are chosen, believe me, you'll know. Now let us begin.” She clapped her hands and turned to leave the circle.
As if out of nowhere, a young witch appeared, her entire body hidden from view by a long dark robe and her face concealed by the hood. Slowly she walked around the Circle, stopping to kneel and speak in a foreign tongue at each stone, before returning to the middle. For a long moment it seemed as if she wasn’t going to do anything, she just stood there in silence.
Was this normal? Looking around at those that had been present at one of these rituals before I could see tell. Finally, she straightened her spine and lifted her eyes to the sky, her arms rising as she began to sing. Or would that be chant? Whatever you wanted to call it, it was beautiful. I’d never seen magic like this before. I’d seen the odd spell cast in the past, the odd curse or hex, but nothing like this.
Her voice rose higher as the power in the place began to build and flow towards her and I caught some of what she was saying.
In my mind but out of sight.
Guarding protector, find me tonight.
Wrap me in your warm embrace.
Protect me now from that evil place.
Answer my call. Answer now.
So I may be protected by thou.
As the witch finished her chant the whole place seemed to hum with power, three of the four stones glowing faintly, but one was shining brightly, radiating power. The energy within the Circle began to build higher and higher until it couldn’t contain it any longer and blasted out, washing over the gathering crowd. As it spread over the group no one reacted, not seeming to sense the strength of it at all, but when it hit me… well, that was a different story.
It seemed to hit me full force, causing me to gasp in shock as the power wrapped itself around me, gripping me in a vice. It began to pull me forward, my feet moving by their own accord. As I made to step forward into the Circle itself, Frankie grabbed my arm to hold me back. "What you doing, man?” he whispered. I couldn't speak, couldn't take my eyes off my prize.
Prize?
That was the fucking wolf talking again. He was raising closer to the surface every second but not to take over my body. It was as if he just wanted to be present for this moment. The moment he looked upon his mate.
"Let him go," Ryan ordered, pulling Frankie’s arm away and allowing me to continue. Stepping into the Circle the power drew me over to where the witch stood, her shoulders visibility shaking. Was it from the power of the spell or was there another reason? Stopping before her, I looked towards her face but I still couldn't see a thing, just darkness. It was strange, wolves had excellent night vision, but it was as if her face was clouded in a darkness that even my eyes couldn't penetrate.
"The protector has been chosen. You may all leave," the Crone’s voice spoke from beside me suddenly. To say she wasn’t Were, she could sure move as silently as one. "You're pack too, Alpha Edwards, but, of course, you and your Beta may stay, there is much to discuss."
I was still being pulled by the power of the witches spell. I couldn't move. Seeming to sense this, the Crone turned to the witch, speaking softly. "Open your eyes and look upon your chosen protector. Allow the spell to end.”
So that was why I was still trapped, she hadn't opened her eyes to look at me? Why not?
After what seemed like an eternity, she took a deep breath and the full force of the power seemed to drain away, but it felt like there was still a small string of it tying us together. And then she collapsed to the floor in floods of tears, screaming in what I could only describe as utter despair. And the worst thing was… I knew that voice.
Chapter Seven
~
Kaia
The force of the spell had surprised me. The amount of power that had built up and blasted out of my chest, my heart, had literally stolen my breath away. I knew the moment it found him, found my protector. It had been spreading out over the gathered crowd, when suddenly, it was all being pulled towards one spot, one person, binding him tightly and pulling him towards me. I kept my eyes closed, dreading what was to come. I hated myself for dooming another, for landing him in an early grave beside with me.
There were a few words exchanged in the crowd, but I couldn't hear them, they were spoken so softly. As he stepped in front of me, the sense of dread in my heart built. I knew that scent. The smell of his aftershave was one I breathed in deeply just last night. And the woodsy, earthy smell that all wolves seemed to have when their wolves were close to the surface just confirmed it.
Tears started to roll down my face, my shoulders shaking with the shame of what I had done. I shouldn't have performed the stupid ritual. I should have just stayed alone and met my death by myself as all those before me had done.
Grace said a few words to the gathered crowd and I could sense them all leaving. Placing her hand lightly on my shoulder, she spoke in my ear. "Open your eyes and look upon your protector. Allow the spell to end."
I needed to, I knew that. But, if I opened my eyes, it would really be happening. I would really be dooming the only guy I had ever really loved, cared for. The one I had carefully pushed away all those years ago. But I had to, there was no taking it back now, and I couldn't keep him trapped in my magic forever. Taking a deep breath, I slowly opened my eyes, casting them at his bare feet. His legs were clad in a loose fitting pair of ripped denim jeans hanging teasingly low on his hips. His chest was bare, each muscle well defined and had me itching to reach out and trace over each and every one, first with my fingers, then with my tongue. As my eyes landed on the beautiful face I knew so well, even after not seeing him in so long before the previous night, those grey and amber eyes attempting to peer through the darkness surrounding my face, I cracked. Falling to the ground, I burst into floods of tears.
Ethan. Why did it have to be Ethan?
"No. No, this can't be happening. No. No. No."
As he crouched down before me, I could sense Ethan’s confusion as he rubbed my back soothingly, but nothing could stop the tears falling from my eyes. Nothing could stop the pain of what I had done.
"What's going on?" Grace asked, rushing back over to us.
Down by the direction of the path I heard someone running fast towards us, the unfit pants for breath giving away who it was. "It’s okay, chick, I'm here,” Dyanna said, pulling me into her arms. When I didn't stop crying she pulled me up to face her, but while I could plainly see her, Grace’s concealment spell was still in place. "What the hell?" she gasped, looking up in question.
"We decided to take extra steps to cover her identity from the other groups,” Grace informed her before whispering the words to remove her spell. It felt like a blast of wind hit me in the face. I kept my head down, the hood still hiding me from Ethan’s view. "What are you doing here, Dyanna? I told you that no one el
se from the coven was to be here."
"I know, Gran, but she's my friend and she’s terrified. You knew she didn't want to do this, now look at her. Come on, don't cry,” she uttered, pulling my hood back and pressing a kiss to my head. "It's not all bad. I mean, have you seen him? He’s hot." Only Dyanna would say something like that at a time like this.
"It couldn't be any worse," I choked, peeking up from under my hair at Ethan’s puzzled face.
"Kaia?" he gasped. He’d known it was me, he would have been able to sense it the moment he came near, but I guess the removal of my hood had confirmed it for him.
"You know him?” Dyanna asked, looking back and forth between us before the things I had told her in the past seemed to click into place. "Oh! Now I understand."
"Well, I don't,” boomed Alpha Edwards, storming towards us. Quickly following him was another member of his pack. By the power that radiated from him, I would have to say he was the pack Beta. "Can someone please explain what is going on here? Why is this girl crying in anguish over being my son's mate? And why has she performed the ritual anyway when it is obvious that she is far too young?"
"And that is the reason for the changes we made tonight. There is an awful lot to tell you, but not here." Kneeling beside me, brushing the hair from my eyes, Grace said, “We need to move, Kaia. Can you stand?" Slowly, with the help of Dyanna, I got to my feet, a little weak from the force of the spell. "Good. We have a safehouse set up a few miles away. There is where we will discuss what has happened tonight. I can take us there now unless you would prefer to run in your wild forms?" she asked the Alpha.
"You may take us. I want answers."
"Very well. If you would just take my arm, I will transport us there immediately. Dyanna, can you bring Kaia and her chosen, please?” And then with nothing more than a shimmer and a wave of power rolling through the air, they were gone.
“Come on, sweetheart, let's get out of here.” She wrapped her arm around my waist then grabbing Ethan roughly by the arm. Quickly looking around the place, she scanned the woods, her eyes a little worried.
“What’s the matter?”
“Nothing,” she said, a smile on her face but it was forced. Something had spooked her.
Focusing her own power, her arm pulling me tighter against her for just a moment, Dyanna moved us from the Circle to the safehouse. I was used to travelling this way. I could never do it myself because of how easy it was to track, but I had travelled this way with Grace and Dyanna numerous times over the years. Unfortunately, being as weak as I was from the ritual, my legs gave way the second we arrived.
Looking up from my fallen position, I saw the old rundown cottage the coven used in times of need, though I don’t think it had been this run down the last time I had been here. It had only been a passing visit to drop off some clean towels and bedding when one of the coven needed a place to stay after losing her home to fire. I was feeling a little embarrassed about losing my footing, but by the sound of it, I wasn’t the only one that hit the ground.
“I thought you guys always landed on your feet,” Dyanna joked, laughing as Ethan picked himself up from the floor quickly.
“That's cats, and you could have warned me you were going to do that.”
“No, I couldn't. Otherwise, I wouldn't have seen you fall on your ass.”
A growl erupted from his chest.
“Dyanna, leave the boy alone and get Kaia in here, she needs rest.”
With Ethan’s help, she guided me inside and into the lounge where his Alpha and Beta were waiting. Ethan made to sit next to me but I quickly pulled Dyanna down beside me, making him find another place to sit. I caught a flash of hurt in his eyes before he set his face and all emotion vanished from them.
“So come on, Grace. They are here, now explain,” Alpha Edwards demanded.
“Don't take that tone with me Edwards. What I tell you tonight has been kept a secret since the moment she was born, even from her for most of her life, so be patient. Now tell me, how much do you know of Wiccan history?”
“Some. We have a great many books on it in our archives, though it has been decades since I read any of them.”
“Well let me give you a quick recap lesson in one very important area. While as Crone I’m classed as a leader of the Wiccan community, the truth is, the other Crones and I aren’t truly entitled to the job. The true leaders of the Wiccan world are the Elementals. Four witches of immense power that can wield the powers of the elements. Earth. Water. Air. Fire. Thousands of years ago, a demon called Abaddon came into our dimension. Learning of the Four Elementals and the harmony they brought to not just the Wiccan world, but to the entire supernatural world, he set out to destroy them… and he did. They never expected the attack. Their protectors, no longer as vigilant as they once were, never saw him coming until it was too late. Shortly after the Four were destroyed, and the supernatural world had descended back into chaos, a prophecy was made that said when the four powers reunited as one, the demon Abaddon would meet his final end. Since that day he has tracked and killed each and every one of the witches that have inherited an elemental power, before they reach the age of twenty-five, the age when they would perform the ritual that you saw here tonight, to find their protector. Due to this, an idea was presented to Maggie, one of my fellow Crones, to allow the Elemental witches to perform the ritual on their twenty-first birthday, thus giving those witches a chance they would not have otherwise.”
“What are you saying?” the Alpha asked, studying me as if looking for a clue to his suspicions.
“What I am saying this that your son is going to become the protector of one such witch, that he is being left in charge of one of the most important people in our world.”
Everyone was staring at me. I could feel their eyes on me even though I was refusing to meet their gazes.
“She doesn't look like much,” the Beta commented, causing me to flinch and an angry snarl to escape Ethan’s mouth.
“Calm it, boy,” the Alpha ordered. Turning to address me, he asked, “So what are you, child?”
“I am no child!” I spat, suddenly angry. I wanted nothing more than to up and leave. I hated it when people told the story of the four, always blabbering on about when the four reunited they would once again rule over the Wiccan world and harmony would fall over the supernatural one. What if I didn't want to do that? What if I just wanted a normal life? No one ever asked me what I wanted.
Looking up at him, my eyes swirling with darkness as they always did when I was pissed, I spoke with anger in my voice. “I. Am. Earth."
~
Ethan
Okay, I really needed to do some reading. I was sure I had been taught about this in the past. I remember my mum use to tell me a story about four witches of incredible power. She had this small book of tales she used to tell me stories every night, but I was so young when she died that I can't really remember how the story went. For some reason, I got the strangest feeling that it was the story of these Elementals that she had been telling me about.
And Kaia was one of them? What did that mean? How much danger was she in? I really needed to get my hands on that book, wherever the hell it was, or any book on the subject for that matter.
I could feel Kaia’s frustration and anger through my small connection to her, and my wolf didn't like it one bit. It took everything in me not to let him lose on my father. That said, I still couldn't stop the growl that ripped from my chest. Her eyes were the darkest green I had ever seen them, and only getting darker by the second.
I wanted to move over to her, comfort her, but I knew she didn’t want me near her right now.
“Kaia. Breath. The Alpha did not mean any disrespect,” Grace spoke softly to her. For a brief moment, I could have sworn I felt the ground beneath us shake. “Kaia!”
“My apologies, Kaia,” my father said sincerely. Turning back to Grace, he continued. “You said he is going to become her protector? I thought the ritual selecting him made h
im that already?”
“No. Until the bond is complete, he is not officially her protector.”
“Bond?” I asked. “But I can already feel the connection between us.”
“Yes, but the connection is only very small at the moment. When the bond is completed, it will open up fully. After that happens, you will always know where she is, how she is, everything. Enabling you to be the best protector you can be.”
“So when will the bond be completed?” my father asked.
“It won't,” Kaia spoke quietly, our sensitive hearing picking it up.
“What do you mean ‘it won't’?” The steel in his voice set my wolf on edge. Kaia really didn’t want to piss my father off. Didn’t she know how dangerous an Alpha wolf could be when angry?
“Kaia, be reasonable,” Grace said. “Let’s discuss this.”
“There is nothing to discuss. I won't do it, Grace.” Getting to her feet, still a little unsteady but better than before, she walked away. Turning around when she reached the door, her eyes passed over each and every one of us until they fixed on Grace. “And you can't make me.”
When she was gone and we heard a door upstairs slam shut, Kaia's friend burst out laughing, shocking us all. “What? She has a point. You can't force her to do it, Grace. You may have made her perform the ritual, but the full bonding, she will never do.”
“What is this bonding exactly?” Ryan asked. “Surely you can make her do it if it's for her own protection.”
“The bonding is... Well, it’s a little…” she stuttered, looking positively awkward.
“Spit it out, Grandmother.” The girl smirked.
“Well, let’s just say that it’s a little personal.”
“That's an understatement.” Getting up to follow after Kaia, the girl laughed as she made her way to the door. “Oh fine, I’ll tell them. The bonding takes place during another small ritual… One which is completed the first time they have sex.”